It's always so sad to say good bye to a lovely paradise such as this. I have my last morning coffee on the deck and watch the quiet lake. I love this view and hope to someday paint some of the photos I've taken. It's been a long time (over 25 years!) since I've done any painting. At that time I used oil paints but now I want to try my hand using acrylic paints. Some projects are in my mind. We'll see if they get painted.
After a leisurely breakfast and coffee, it's time to start packing up. We've had such a wonderful time and I want to leave the cottage in just as good a shape as we found it or maybe even better. I sweep and vacuum. I pack up the rest of the dry goods. I take the coolers and freezer packs and pack up our things from the fridge and freezer.
Hubby starts to move items into the car and pack it up tight. We brought our cat, Frodo, with us on this holiday. He is getting to be a really old man. He has enjoyed the cottage (he's an indoor cat) but he does not like riding in the car. I spray his carrier with a product that is supposed to help calm him. It worked well on the way up to the cottage last week. Finally it's time to put Frodo in his carrier.
Windows are all closed and locked and everything is closed and locked up. Into the car we all go and off we head home. Unfortunately, there was road closure on Hwy 38 (our route home) and we had to back track and find another route home. Our poor Frodo did not travel as well this time. I felt absolutely terrible for him. We eventually made it home and spoiled him rotten.
Everything got unpacked and laundry was started. We had vacation the rest of this week as well and we used it to finish up the trim and details after having the new flooring put in. I've worked hard all this past week (July 9-13) to get the laundry done and the gardens weeded, shrubs trimmed and zucchini picked. It's back to reality but I'm still making time for a quiet coffee and book on the patio in the mornings. A week after returning home and I can still imagine clearly the view from the deck of the cottage overlooking Eagle Lake. It was a lovely retreat.
Monday, 15 July 2019
Vacation Day 6 - July 7, 2019 at Eagle Lake
This is our last full day here. The week has gone by so quickly and as always I'm feeling a little sad that our idyllic time here is drawing to a close. But I've still got a great day to enjoy this little bit of paradise.
It's 8:00 and it is cool with not a cloud in the sky. The blue sky reflects into the water so we have a blue lake this morning. Last night was our first night without needing a fan and we actually wanted our blanket on us! A wonderful night's sleep.
I'm so excited for today. We have some friends coming out in the afternoon who work so very hard and are so very generous with us. We have convinced them to come for the afternoon and dinner so they can have some well-deserved down time. It's a lazy day again with reading my book and writing in my notebook. I did feel creative so I've made a marinade to soak the pork tenderloin in all day. The rest of the meal is easy. Baked potatoes and a salad.
Our friends arrive and we have, as always, a fantastically relaxed time together. When it comes time to put the pork on the BBQ, it smells delicious from the marinade. We get carried away visiting and before we know it the meat is slightly overcooked but still really good because of sitting in the marinade earlier. We enjoy our meal and continue to talk, laugh and enjoy. Before we know it, it's time for them to leave and get home. What a great last day we had!!!
I spend the evening packing up the dry goods into our bags and having some things ready to go for packing the car in the morning. Off to sleep we go and sleep well we do. Again, it is cool and lovely weather!
It's 8:00 and it is cool with not a cloud in the sky. The blue sky reflects into the water so we have a blue lake this morning. Last night was our first night without needing a fan and we actually wanted our blanket on us! A wonderful night's sleep.
I'm so excited for today. We have some friends coming out in the afternoon who work so very hard and are so very generous with us. We have convinced them to come for the afternoon and dinner so they can have some well-deserved down time. It's a lazy day again with reading my book and writing in my notebook. I did feel creative so I've made a marinade to soak the pork tenderloin in all day. The rest of the meal is easy. Baked potatoes and a salad.
Our friends arrive and we have, as always, a fantastically relaxed time together. When it comes time to put the pork on the BBQ, it smells delicious from the marinade. We get carried away visiting and before we know it the meat is slightly overcooked but still really good because of sitting in the marinade earlier. We enjoy our meal and continue to talk, laugh and enjoy. Before we know it, it's time for them to leave and get home. What a great last day we had!!!
I spend the evening packing up the dry goods into our bags and having some things ready to go for packing the car in the morning. Off to sleep we go and sleep well we do. Again, it is cool and lovely weather!
Vacation Day 5 - July 6, 2019 at Eagle Lake
I'm slowly starting to sleep in and relax. I woke up and got my coffee at 8:30 this morning. The thermometer indicated it is already 25 degrees Celsius. As I stepped onto the deck to enjoy the view, it was already HOT and HUMID! There was a breeze off the lake as I enjoyed my coffee and an omelette for breakfast. As I sat and relaxed in the chair on the deck, I could hear blue jays, grackles, chickadees, woodpeckers and robins. Then I heard the gentle call of the loon while I was writing in my notebook.
The weekend on the lake has arrived. There is more motorized boat traffic, kayaks, canoes, paddle boards and water skiers. I could also hear the RKY campers out in 3 canoes earlier before the motorized traffic started. I could hear the campers singing as they paddled. It brought back memories of my childhood when I would go to camp for a weekend at most. As the boating traffic increases, I can hear the rhythm of the aluminum boat hitting the dock as wakes and waves come to shore. It makes me think of Martha Hill Duncan's piano composition called "Rowboat At The Dock" which is included in a collection of her compositions called Cottage Days, copyright 2008.
At 2:00 p.m. it is sunny, windy and the air is finally less humid and feels cooler. It is a beautiful, perfect day!! It's wonderful to not feel sticky. As I sit looking at the water, I am feeling reflective and creative. So bear with me as I have a brief interlude of reflection.
Many Faces of the Lake
So currently, my "lake of life" is full of gentle waves calling "Come in and play". My lake of life is also windy, blue, excited and saying "I'm so happy to see all my boating friends with our laughter and squeals of happiness."
The weekend on the lake has arrived. There is more motorized boat traffic, kayaks, canoes, paddle boards and water skiers. I could also hear the RKY campers out in 3 canoes earlier before the motorized traffic started. I could hear the campers singing as they paddled. It brought back memories of my childhood when I would go to camp for a weekend at most. As the boating traffic increases, I can hear the rhythm of the aluminum boat hitting the dock as wakes and waves come to shore. It makes me think of Martha Hill Duncan's piano composition called "Rowboat At The Dock" which is included in a collection of her compositions called Cottage Days, copyright 2008.
At 2:00 p.m. it is sunny, windy and the air is finally less humid and feels cooler. It is a beautiful, perfect day!! It's wonderful to not feel sticky. As I sit looking at the water, I am feeling reflective and creative. So bear with me as I have a brief interlude of reflection.
Many Faces of the Lake
- The lake can be still, reflective and completely calm. - I hate to disturb it and I feel it doesn't want to be disturbed.
- The gentle waves lapping at the shore. - "Come in and swim" it chants. - "Come play" it insists.
- Windy, blue, excited! - I'm so happy to see all my boating friends with their children's laughter and squeals. I love that fathers chase their children in the water saying "I'm the monster and I'm going to get you!" as their children scream and shriek in play and laughter. Lots of pleasure boats, party pontoon boats, kayaks, canoes. Weekend is here!
- Angry, grey, cold, windy, rainy. - "Leave me alone!" - "Let me have a 'tempest in a teapot' kind of day. People listen and leave the lake alone
So currently, my "lake of life" is full of gentle waves calling "Come in and play". My lake of life is also windy, blue, excited and saying "I'm so happy to see all my boating friends with our laughter and squeals of happiness."
Vacation Day 4 - July 5, 2019 at Eagle Lake
I awoke early again this morning but not as early as one of our friends who stayed over. As I walked slowly onto the deck with my coffee, it was an enjoyable morning with the peaceful lapping of the waves on the shore. I espied my friend at the end of the dock just sitting on a lawn chair with his coffee. I thought I needed a picture and would call it "Man At Peace". I went quietly inside the cottage to get my camera. I took the picture and looked at it. It was completely blurry because I forget to change the settings from the dusk pictures of the night before. I picked the correct settings and went to retake the picture. As I tip toed on the deck it creaked. The man looks around and the moment was lost. Maybe some day I can try to paint the picture from my mind.
The rest of the day was overwhelmingly hot. We continued to bask in and share the love and friendship with our friends. We all ended up taking a dip in the lake to cool down throughout the afternoon. Our friends left in the late afternoon. It was a hot and peaceful evening. A dip in the lake was required again as I started to overheat.
Hubby and I were floating on the pool noodles out in the lake past the dock. The surface of the lake felt like bath water and I wanted to cool down. I forced my feet and legs down and found a lovely area of cool water. Then BAM!!!! A fish (I assume it was a bass) bit my calf and left marks. I was OUTTA THERE!!! The bite marks did not break the skin so it was not an eel or snake as there was no swelling. I really believe it was a bass. Probably the same bass Son was trying to catch the other day. My lily white legs probably looked like a lure to the fish. Anyway, once I was on land, the mosquitoes were bad and I moved into the sun porch where I could still get the great views.
I put a fan on the table in the sun porch and took it off the oscillating feature. I adjusted it to blow directly on me while I read my book and enjoyed the sunset. It was still HOT, HOT, HOT and STICKY! In our bedroom, I again fixed the fan to just blow directly on the bed. I had a great night sleep as the fan kept me somewhat cool.
The rest of the day was overwhelmingly hot. We continued to bask in and share the love and friendship with our friends. We all ended up taking a dip in the lake to cool down throughout the afternoon. Our friends left in the late afternoon. It was a hot and peaceful evening. A dip in the lake was required again as I started to overheat.
Hubby and I were floating on the pool noodles out in the lake past the dock. The surface of the lake felt like bath water and I wanted to cool down. I forced my feet and legs down and found a lovely area of cool water. Then BAM!!!! A fish (I assume it was a bass) bit my calf and left marks. I was OUTTA THERE!!! The bite marks did not break the skin so it was not an eel or snake as there was no swelling. I really believe it was a bass. Probably the same bass Son was trying to catch the other day. My lily white legs probably looked like a lure to the fish. Anyway, once I was on land, the mosquitoes were bad and I moved into the sun porch where I could still get the great views.
I put a fan on the table in the sun porch and took it off the oscillating feature. I adjusted it to blow directly on me while I read my book and enjoyed the sunset. It was still HOT, HOT, HOT and STICKY! In our bedroom, I again fixed the fan to just blow directly on the bed. I had a great night sleep as the fan kept me somewhat cool.
Vacation Day 3 - July 4, 2019 at Eagle Lake
I, again, awake and am up at 7:30 a.m. There are high, lazy clouds in the sky this morning. There's a young man out in the bay in front of the cottage dock fishing with his girlfriend or maybe his sister. He's not using his motor but is just drifting quietly. The day is already warm and humid. The boats are coming to life and zipping here and there creating wakes.
As the morning progresses, you hear voices echoing across the water. The cottage life on the tranquil lake is stirring and awakening. It's a very idyllic morning.
I have no internet and having no electronic devices allows time to read, reflect deep upon myself and just enjoy the views. As I reflect upon myself, I realize that I love being surrounded by my family and friends BUT I had forgotten how much I love being alone within the still and quiet nature. It is a balm to my soul and definitely recharges my batteries. This is probably why I love early mornings with my coffee on the deck here at the cottage or on my patio at home. The trees that surround the cottage are cedars, pines, oaks, birch, maples and spruce.
In the afternoon, our invited friends arrives. It was a hot and humid day. The day was filled with laughter, chatting friendship and love. A quick dip in the lake was needed to cool down. The out in the boat we went with our friends. I loved seeing their enjoyment and wonder as we went around the lake. We saw the resident pair of loons come from shore near the abandoned cottage. They led us away on a slow, gentle chase. We wondered if there might be a nest on the shore. We got close to the smaller loon (female?) and saw the vertical stripes in what makes up her 2 white rings around the neck and again, the white dots on her back.
When we returned to the cottage, we had a "root beer can" chicken on the BBQ with potato salad and baked potatoes with shredded cheese, chopped chives, butter, salt, pepper and sour cream. After dinner, Hubby started up a campfire. It was still hot but there were tons of mosquitoes, so I dressed in jeans, socks, shoes and jacket to protect myself. I was dripping with sweat and bug spray, but enjoyed our friends company around the fire. It was another gorgeous sunset!!
As the morning progresses, you hear voices echoing across the water. The cottage life on the tranquil lake is stirring and awakening. It's a very idyllic morning.
I have no internet and having no electronic devices allows time to read, reflect deep upon myself and just enjoy the views. As I reflect upon myself, I realize that I love being surrounded by my family and friends BUT I had forgotten how much I love being alone within the still and quiet nature. It is a balm to my soul and definitely recharges my batteries. This is probably why I love early mornings with my coffee on the deck here at the cottage or on my patio at home. The trees that surround the cottage are cedars, pines, oaks, birch, maples and spruce.
In the afternoon, our invited friends arrives. It was a hot and humid day. The day was filled with laughter, chatting friendship and love. A quick dip in the lake was needed to cool down. The out in the boat we went with our friends. I loved seeing their enjoyment and wonder as we went around the lake. We saw the resident pair of loons come from shore near the abandoned cottage. They led us away on a slow, gentle chase. We wondered if there might be a nest on the shore. We got close to the smaller loon (female?) and saw the vertical stripes in what makes up her 2 white rings around the neck and again, the white dots on her back.
When we returned to the cottage, we had a "root beer can" chicken on the BBQ with potato salad and baked potatoes with shredded cheese, chopped chives, butter, salt, pepper and sour cream. After dinner, Hubby started up a campfire. It was still hot but there were tons of mosquitoes, so I dressed in jeans, socks, shoes and jacket to protect myself. I was dripping with sweat and bug spray, but enjoyed our friends company around the fire. It was another gorgeous sunset!!
Vacation Day 2 - July 3, 2019 at Eagle Lake
It's 7:30 a.m. and I walk into the sun porch with my coffee. The white glare of a boat house on an island across the lake catches my attention. The sun is hitting it just right and it reflects in the mirrored glass which is the lake this particular morning. We went by that cottage on the island on our boat ride yesterday.
The cottage has seen better days. It is leaning and appears to be slowly collapsing in despair as no one seems to love it anymore. I wonder what memories and family fun those leaning tired walls of that cottage has seen. The poor old man of a cottage is decrepit and begs for some loving care. I can just imagine a young family enjoying time together at one time in that space. Perhaps the children have grown and left the area. Perhaps the parents became too old and frail to continue to use the cottage regularly. I imagine that they have died and left the cottage to their children and their families. Perhaps they live too far away now to pay attention to this poor property anymore. The black cottage with white trim and the matching boat house seem so forlorn and sad. Again, I wonder what the real story is behind this one time retreat.
As I look out, I see the combination of fir, cedar and deciduous trees on the far shore. They are clear and sharp with the various shades of green. Interspersed among the trees are bare rock cliffs that climb out of the lake. Also docks and cottages peek out of the trees on the shoreline. In contrast to this sharp, clear view is the blurred reflection of it all on the absolutely still lake. I much prefer this quiet time with the lake before the motorized boats and sea doos get going. I've always been more partial to a silent canoe cutting through the water.
It's now 8:20 a.m. and the lake has woke up from her overnight slumber. Boats are on their way out to do some fishing and perhaps some currents have come alive. The water has gentle waves but it has more movement than earlier. The surface of the water looks like little diamonds floating along as the sun hits the water. The diamonds of light are not quite moving in a lazy manner. There is no reflection of clouds this morning. The sky is blue and hazy.
It's another lazy day of reading, listening to the birds chatter and sing while woodpeckers attack the trees and we can hear the hum of flies and insects. By Noon the heat is already becoming heavy but is relieved by the odd soft breeze off the lake. It's definitely a day to search out and sit in the cooler but still hot shade while I read. A late afternoon dip in the lake is so refreshing and washes off the sunscreen, bug spray and stickiness from the hot, humid day.
After dinner, in the early evening, Hubby and Son went fishing for the first time together. They returned in the boat with no fish to be cleaned or cooked. But the sunset was lovely. They saw 3 loons and a bald eagle while out on the water. After their return, we retreated to the screened in sun porch for a respite from the mosquitoes. All three of us spent the evening reading although I must admit to looking up and enjoying the view of the lake until it got too dark to see it.
The cottage has seen better days. It is leaning and appears to be slowly collapsing in despair as no one seems to love it anymore. I wonder what memories and family fun those leaning tired walls of that cottage has seen. The poor old man of a cottage is decrepit and begs for some loving care. I can just imagine a young family enjoying time together at one time in that space. Perhaps the children have grown and left the area. Perhaps the parents became too old and frail to continue to use the cottage regularly. I imagine that they have died and left the cottage to their children and their families. Perhaps they live too far away now to pay attention to this poor property anymore. The black cottage with white trim and the matching boat house seem so forlorn and sad. Again, I wonder what the real story is behind this one time retreat.
As I look out, I see the combination of fir, cedar and deciduous trees on the far shore. They are clear and sharp with the various shades of green. Interspersed among the trees are bare rock cliffs that climb out of the lake. Also docks and cottages peek out of the trees on the shoreline. In contrast to this sharp, clear view is the blurred reflection of it all on the absolutely still lake. I much prefer this quiet time with the lake before the motorized boats and sea doos get going. I've always been more partial to a silent canoe cutting through the water.
It's now 8:20 a.m. and the lake has woke up from her overnight slumber. Boats are on their way out to do some fishing and perhaps some currents have come alive. The water has gentle waves but it has more movement than earlier. The surface of the water looks like little diamonds floating along as the sun hits the water. The diamonds of light are not quite moving in a lazy manner. There is no reflection of clouds this morning. The sky is blue and hazy.
It's another lazy day of reading, listening to the birds chatter and sing while woodpeckers attack the trees and we can hear the hum of flies and insects. By Noon the heat is already becoming heavy but is relieved by the odd soft breeze off the lake. It's definitely a day to search out and sit in the cooler but still hot shade while I read. A late afternoon dip in the lake is so refreshing and washes off the sunscreen, bug spray and stickiness from the hot, humid day.
After dinner, in the early evening, Hubby and Son went fishing for the first time together. They returned in the boat with no fish to be cleaned or cooked. But the sunset was lovely. They saw 3 loons and a bald eagle while out on the water. After their return, we retreated to the screened in sun porch for a respite from the mosquitoes. All three of us spent the evening reading although I must admit to looking up and enjoying the view of the lake until it got too dark to see it.
Vacation Day 1 - July 2, 2019 at Eagle Lake
Hubby and I decided we need a complete break and down time for a week. So we rented a cottage on Eagle Lake for the week. It is a hot day with heat warnings all around. The fans are on in the cottage to help keep it somewhat cooler at night so we can sleep.
I woke up early and made my way on the the wrap around deck to just sit in a chair and take in the view. There is calm, rippled water which provides a mirror reflection of the rocky shoreline, trees and other cottages. The colours reflected in the water are blue, dark green (the trees) and the white reflection of the clouds. As the morning progresses, a yellow dragonfly flits and lands on the deck railing in front of me to sun itself. I look up and I see puffy cottonball clouds hanging lazily in the sky.
It's Hubby's birthday today and we enjoy a lazy coffee with cereal in the screened in porch to escape the sun. As we eat breakfast, we look out over the beautiful lake. By 10:30 a.m., motor boats have come to life and disturb the calm lake. The wakes and waves will be the view for the rest of the sunny, hot day.
I see a father and very young son in a motorized aluminum fishing boat. The son is sitting in the bow (the front) with his bright yellow life jacket on and he seems very happy. Another boat comes into view towing a water skier. I see the white wake of the boat and the smaller white wake of the skier as the wakes slice through the calm water like a sharp knife. A man glides by on his paddle board as Hubby bails rain water out of the aluminum motorboat at the dock. Genial morning greetings between the two men echo up to me at the cottage. I peek out to see who Hubby is talking to.
In the afternoon, Hubby, Son and I venture out in the motor boat and go slowly around the lake. Because we are idling and going slow, we come within about 10 feet of a large loon. They are so majestic!! I clearly saw the white rings around the long black neck and the absolutely stunning white, speckled back before it dove beneath the surface of the water. We saw it resruface as a speck in the gentle rippling waves closer to shore.
Later in the afternoon, we have a lazy time relaxing in the hot, sticky sunshine. The afternoon is spent with cold drinks and reading as well as laid back conversation with Son who visited for a couple of days. A refreshing dip in the lake and I feel great again.
Birthday dinner for Hubby is a grilled steak with grilled onions and mushrooms, baked potato with shredded cheese and chopped chives from my garden and a salad. After cleaning up from our amazing meal, we go down towards the dock and the firepot. Hubby gets the fire going and we watch the flames dancing as we answer Son's questions about our youth and we reminisce of days gone by. I walk out to the end of the dock to enjoy the view at dusk. Everything is absolutely quiet! .......Except for a large whine of mosquitos as they hover over the water at the end of the dock. OH NO!!!! Here they come!!
I woke up early and made my way on the the wrap around deck to just sit in a chair and take in the view. There is calm, rippled water which provides a mirror reflection of the rocky shoreline, trees and other cottages. The colours reflected in the water are blue, dark green (the trees) and the white reflection of the clouds. As the morning progresses, a yellow dragonfly flits and lands on the deck railing in front of me to sun itself. I look up and I see puffy cottonball clouds hanging lazily in the sky.
It's Hubby's birthday today and we enjoy a lazy coffee with cereal in the screened in porch to escape the sun. As we eat breakfast, we look out over the beautiful lake. By 10:30 a.m., motor boats have come to life and disturb the calm lake. The wakes and waves will be the view for the rest of the sunny, hot day.
I see a father and very young son in a motorized aluminum fishing boat. The son is sitting in the bow (the front) with his bright yellow life jacket on and he seems very happy. Another boat comes into view towing a water skier. I see the white wake of the boat and the smaller white wake of the skier as the wakes slice through the calm water like a sharp knife. A man glides by on his paddle board as Hubby bails rain water out of the aluminum motorboat at the dock. Genial morning greetings between the two men echo up to me at the cottage. I peek out to see who Hubby is talking to.
In the afternoon, Hubby, Son and I venture out in the motor boat and go slowly around the lake. Because we are idling and going slow, we come within about 10 feet of a large loon. They are so majestic!! I clearly saw the white rings around the long black neck and the absolutely stunning white, speckled back before it dove beneath the surface of the water. We saw it resruface as a speck in the gentle rippling waves closer to shore.
Later in the afternoon, we have a lazy time relaxing in the hot, sticky sunshine. The afternoon is spent with cold drinks and reading as well as laid back conversation with Son who visited for a couple of days. A refreshing dip in the lake and I feel great again.
Birthday dinner for Hubby is a grilled steak with grilled onions and mushrooms, baked potato with shredded cheese and chopped chives from my garden and a salad. After cleaning up from our amazing meal, we go down towards the dock and the firepot. Hubby gets the fire going and we watch the flames dancing as we answer Son's questions about our youth and we reminisce of days gone by. I walk out to the end of the dock to enjoy the view at dusk. Everything is absolutely quiet! .......Except for a large whine of mosquitos as they hover over the water at the end of the dock. OH NO!!!! Here they come!!
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